The Nigerian Air Force has resumed the aerial bombardment of hideouts of the vandals in the Ogun State axis of Arepo, launching fresh air strikes on Friday.
It was gathered that the NAF resumed the current attack after gunshots were heard firing from deep inside the mangrove forest following the visit of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, and other top security personalities to the area on Thursday.
A top security source said that the NAF deployed an Augusta helicopter for the operation which struck some locations of the vandals.
The source said that the helicopter which commenced operation in the afternoon was still carrying out the onslaught on the hiding militants as of 3pm on Friday.
A senior military officer who confided in our correspondent said that the helicopter was deployed in the area after the vandals were sighted by a surveillance aircraft.
However, the source was silent on whether there were casualties in the attack or not.
“The operation is still ongoing. There is still serious military action going on in the place. Even as we are talking, the Air Force is engaging them from the sky,” the source said.
Shortly after the IGP left, ground forces had also moved there to respond to the gunfire from the vandals and the place was quiet for some time, according to the source.
“Then on Friday, the helicopter started the fire again. Some of the guys are trapped in the thick forest,” he added.
When our correspondent contacted the Director of Information and Public Relations of the Nigerian Air Force, Group Capt. Ayodele Famuyiwa, he confirmed the resumed attack on the vandals location on Thursday but did not give further details.
